AN INVITRO ANTI-OXIDANT STUDY ON LEAVES OF VARIOUS EXTRACTS OF AZIMA TETRACANTHA AND ITS MACROSCOPICAL AND PHYTOCHEMICAL EVALUATION
An investigation of the pharmacognostic profile and preliminary phytochemical investigation as well as the anti-oxidant activity of Azima tetracantha lam leaves belonging to the Salvadoraceae family, commonly referred to as needle bush. Ayurveda traditionally uses this plant for cough, asthma, dropsy, dyspepsia, chronic diarrhea, toothache, and jaundice. Azima tetracantha lam powder was analyzed macroscopically, microscopically, physicochemically, and phytochemically by macroscopic, microscopical, and physicochemical methods. Observed at a distance, the leaves are opposite, elliptical orbicular, mucronate-apical, pinnate, decussately arranged, pale green colour, characteristic odour, and tasteless. Dorsiventral leaves with isocytic stomata, polygonal epidermis, palisade parenchyma, radial xylem elements, a vertical mass of hyaline cells, compact parenchyma cells, prominent cuticles, crystal sheaths, absence of trichomes and sclerenchyma were observed microscopically. Anatomical analysis revealed these diagnostic features. An anisocytic stomata and crystal sheath were observed in the epidermis of a leaf studied using powder microscopy. Additionally, quantitative leaf microscopy was used to collect data on leaf surfaces. In addition to determining the loss on drying, extractive values, and ash values, they also determined physiochemical parameters. According to phytochemical screenings, the plant contains carbohydrates, flavonoids, tannins, phenolic compounds, alkaloids, and glycosides. Using flavonoids, tannins, and phenolic compounds as secondary metabolites, we evaluated the antioxidant properties of successive extracts. By generating models of superoxide anion, hydroxyl radical, 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), nitric oxide radical (NO), 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and DPPH, free radical scavenging activity of various solvent extracts of the leaves was assessed. Comparing the ethanol extract from the plant A. tetracantha with other solvent extracts, the results show that the methanol extract contains significant amounts of antioxidants. By extracting the leaves of A. tetracantha with ethanol we observed similar results in the scavenging of free radicals.